We know for a fact that we have to make sure that we take good care of our devices especially when it comes to their batteries because it’s going to be difficult to replace a mobile device’s battery if it gets too worn out or if it is already in poor health. That said, charging a device such as your tablet properly can make a huge difference in maintaining good battery health. But can you still use your tablet while it is charging?
It is perfectly fine if you use your tablet while charging because there are no adverse effects that can damage the tablet if you use it while plugged in. However, some processes and apps may make the tablet warmer or hotter while charging because of how much power it will be producing.
Modern devices such as your tablet are made and designed to be usable even if you are charging them. That’s because battery and charging systems have improved so much that you no longer have to leave your tablet untouched while it is charging. As such, it is fine for you to use your tablet even if it is plugged in but there may be a few minor downsides that you should still know regarding your tablet while you are charging it.
Can I use the tablet while charging?
When it comes to our different mobile devices such as our phones, we have always known how fragile their batteries can be and how these phones can easily get damaged as a result of their batteries. That’s why, in the past, we always avoided using our phones while they are charging due to how there were dangers tied to using these devices when you are charging them.
Meanwhile, today, technology has evolved so much that we are also using tablets as our main mobile devices instead of relying so much on smartphones and laptops. But, just like any other smart device, tablets have a limited operation time due to their battery. You need to charge them regularly if you want to make sure that you get to use them for extended periods of time.
However, because tablets are generally regarded as larger smartphones in terms of their design, you might think that it is unsafe for you to use your tablet while it is charging. So, can you still use your tablet even if it is plugged in and charging?
So, unlike in the past, our mobile smart devices are now literally smart enough to have systems and mechanisms that allow them to be better at taking care of their batteries and their internal components. For example, most devices nowadays are built and designed in such a way that their batteries are well-protected while they are charging such that they are not meant to take in more charge when the battery is already full.
In the same way, smart devices today are also advanced enough that they won’t get damaged even if you are using them while charging. Think of it as something that’s similar to how a laptop can be used while you are charging its battery. In that sense, smartphones and tablets alike can still be used while charging.
That’s why you don’t have to worry about your tablet when you are using it all while it is plugged in and charging. It is perfectly fine for you to use the tablet while it is charging precisely because of how its battery should still be working fine and taking in charges as you are using the device.
But there is a minor caveat in the sense that your tablet’s battery might not charge very quickly if you are using it precisely because of how you are also using the battery while it is charging. Think of it as filling up a bucket of water while there is a small hole at the bottom of the bucket. The bucket may be filling up quickly depending on how good the flow of water is but it will still steadily leak out due to the hole. It’s basically the same thing when you are using your tablet while it is charging as you are still draining a bit of its battery the entire time.
This can be a problem if you are using a charger that is not built for your tablet in the sense that it does not provide the right kind of wattage that the tablet needs to continue to charge even when you are using it. This can be quite common if you have multiple smart devices using the same type of charger plug but have different chargers in terms of their wattage.
So, if you use a weaker charger for a tablet that has a higher wattage requirement, it will still charge if you leave it alone but it is possible that using it while it is charging will drain eventually drain it because the battery power you are using while the tablet is in use is more than the power that the charger can provide the tablet.
Should I use the tablet while charging?
Now that you know that it is perfectly fine to use a tablet while you are charging it, you might be wondering if you should actually use it while charging. After all, just because you can use it while it is charging doesn’t mean that you should actually use it.
For starters, if you are using a weaker charger (as explained above), it might not be a good idea to continue to use the tablet while it is plugged in because of how you could possibly be using more power than what the charger is able to provide it. As a result, the battery will continue to go down albeit at a slower pace because the charger is still providing a bit of power. In such a case, it is best to leave the tablet alone while it is charging using a charger with a lower wattage.
Another thing that you should know is that there are some tablets that will end up producing a ton of heat if you play CPU-intensive games while they are charging. That’s because the charging process is actually delivering heat into the tablet as it is charging. And when you are using the tablet’s CPU in intensive 3D games, you are only going to produce more heat.
This in itself is not a problem from a short-term standpoint but this can damage the tablet in the long run if you make it a habit to play CPU-intensive games while the tablet is charging. That’s because the excessive heat that is building up may end up damaging some of the internal components or even the tablet’s battery itself. As such, don’t make playing games while charging the tablet a habit if you don’t want to risk damaging it.
So, if you want to use your tablet while it is charging, it is best to stick with lighter processes and apps such as word processing apps, internet browsers, or video streaming apps. And as long as you are using the right kind of charger for your tablet, you would have no problems with using it while it is charging.